


Best Friends

by Musafir



Series: Growing Pains [3]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, Domestic, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Protective Bruce Wayne, Slice of Life, Tim Drake-centric, sick tim
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-15
Updated: 2018-12-15
Packaged: 2019-09-18 13:05:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16995531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Musafir/pseuds/Musafir
Summary: “Bruce?”“Yes, Tim?” Bruce put down the paper and extended an arm out to Tim, gathering the tiny boy close into his body.“When Dami grows up, will he be my best friend like Dick and Jay are best friends?” Tim asked."Of course."Bruce had no idea how wrong he was.





	Best Friends

**BEST FRIENDS**

 

_ “Bruce?” _

_ Bruce glanced up from where he had reading the paper in one hand and was using the other to rock Damian’s cradle in which the baby slept.  _

_ “Yes, Tim?” Bruce put down the paper and extended an arm out to Tim, gathering the tiny boy close into his body.  _

_ “When Dami grows up, will he be my best friend like Dick and Jay are best friends?” Tim asked, crawling onto his lap.  _

_ Bruce blinked at his child. Were all his children not best friends? They should be. He thought they all were as close as siblings could get.  _

_ “Dick and Jason are your best friends.” Bruce said, hoping that covered it.  _

_ “Well, yeah. But Dick and Jay are more best friends with each other than they are with me.” Tim informed him, quite seriously.  _

_ “They are?” Bruce was flabbergasted.  _

_ “Yes.” He was told. “But it's okay because I know they’re both older and they talk about things I don’t care about like girls and Roy. But when Dami gets older, we can talk about things that I want to talk about right?” Tim said, in what was quite possibly one breath.  _

_ Bruce nodded dumbly, mind still stuck on the fact that his eldest boys were apparently talking about girls. He needed his parenting book. Was this the right age? Should he give them the talk? No, not yet. They were too young! At least Jason was at any rate… _

_ A tug pulled him out of his musings.  _

_ “Sorry kiddo. Yes, when Dami grows up you two can be best friends and talk about everything you want.” Bruce said automatically.  _

_ “Okay.” Tim said, somberly. “We’re going to be the best friends ever.”  _

_ “I know you will.” Bruce said, contracting his core so he could lean down and drop a kiss on to Tim’s forehead. His baby smelled like baby shampoo and the innocent smell of small children. Bruce inhaled deeply.  _

_ “In the meantime Tim, I’ll be your best friend. You can talk to me about anything.” Bruce said with a smile. A part of him nagged at his conscience for so blatantly manipulating his son, but hearing Tim start to babble at him, when the child was usually so quiet, made it all worth it.  _

_ Plus, in a few short years, Tim would be spending most of his time with Damian anyway. Best make the most of it now.  _

 

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

Bruce often thought back to that small conversation had with Tim all those years ago. He was baffled by how he had been so wrong. 

Tim and Damian did not become best friends. In fact, one could  _ delicately  _ say that they were not friends at all. Between Damian’s strong possession issues and Tim’s rapidly wavering self esteem, they were usually the center of long drawn out fights that Bruce had never had to deal with before. 

“I hate you! Go back to your own parents!” Damian screamed. 

“Bruce is my parent, you brat!” Tim screamed back. 

“No one wants you here! Why do you insist on remaining where you are not wanted!” 

“Enough!” Bruce stormed into the room, furious that this fight was once again happening under his roof. “Both of you, to your rooms!” He ordered. 

“But Bruce-!” 

“Father!” 

“No! I don’t want to hear it. I don’t want to know what set this off. To. Your. Rooms.  _ Now _ .” The tone left no room for question. 

Tim, still his most obedient child, despite his role in being one half of the reason the manor’s peace had utterly fled, immediately walked out of the room with his head down. Bruce forced himself not to reach out and touch the young teen in comfort. 

Damian, his not so obedient child, glared at him. 

“Damian.” Bruce snapped before Damian could even inhale the breath to speak. “ _ Enough _ . I don’t want to hear it. Out.” 

Damian sulked away. Bruce waited until he had left the hall to slump. This had been the third fight this week. It was  _ Tuesday _ . Something had to change or his boys were going to lose it. That is, if Bruce didn't lose it first. 

Bruce leaned against the wall and prayed for an answer to come to him. 

 

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

An answer came. Not in the form of a paragraph in a parenting book, as Bruce had thought it would, but in the form of a girl. 

Cassandra. 

Tim and Damian’s fights had gotten to the point where Bruce had banned them from speaking to each other if they had nothing nice to say, and yet they still they managed to be at each other's throats. Bruce had been despairingly considering boarding school, which he had promised he would never do, when Cassandra was dropped into their lives. 

Tiny, bruised, and barely able to speak a word of English, and yet; the cause of what had to be instantaneous relief to Bruce’s years long migraine all for one reason. 

Cassandra loved Tim. 

Bruce had noticed that it had been very hard for Tim to make friends. He knew his child was lonely, but all the parenting books had told him that the worst thing he could possibly do was get involved and make Tim’s friends for him. Or hire them. 

So he had held back. Jason and Dick did as much as they could, but Bruce didn’t begrudge them wanting to spend time on the weekends with their friends rather than their family. And if Tim ever found out that Bruce had suggested they spend more time with him, he would purposefully avoid them. And then the trust and brotherhood would be lost forever. 

Bruce couldn’t understand why his child had so much problems getting others to see how perfect and special he was. Tim was the smartest of all his children, a quiet soul with a razor sharp wit and a heart of gold that Bruce knew was taught by Dick and honed by a naturally emphatic nature. It made no sense. Children had the worst judgement, honestly. 

But. 

When Cassandra, or  _ Cass  _ as Tim immediately shortened and Cassandra nodded once to show her approval, came, it all changed. 

It started with Tim shyly volunteering to show Cass around the manor when Damian immediately sniffed and dismissed her as _ just a girl. _ Bruce had a very long talk with him after that about gender equality. His son’s arrogance baffled him at times. 

It moved to the English lessons Bruce had set Cass up with. He caught Tim and Cass curled up together many times after the lessons, giggling at the exaggerated pronunciation of the tutor as the poor man tried to impart what mouth movements were made to emit specific sounds. 

It moved on to Tim being Cassandra’s foremost language specialist and speaker. Bruce had initially discouraged it; thinking that if Cassandra was having Tim do all her speaking for her, then she wouldn't be learning. But Cass was quick to disabuse him of that notion. 

In halting, but perfect, English, she informed him that Tim would never compromise her learning in anyway. 

“I enjoy...the way Tim speaks. I prefer...Tim speaking...to strangers on my...behalf. I am still keeping up with my studies, in which Tim...provides much assistance.” Cassandra had told him firmly. 

Bruce had only managed to nod, blown away by the perfection and sheer amount of volume Cass had pinned him in place for. 

“Oh. Well, okay then.” He had managed to stutter out before making a _ carry on  _ gesture and fleeing from his children to go rejoice in private. 

It moved to Cass and Tim joining forces in snowball fights and volleyball tournaments. To them going off to school together and coming home  _ smiling  _ and not hiding tears. To them informing Bruce of a vacation they had planned and what car they intended to borrow. To them disappearing for hours with just a note that they were out exploring. To them rejoicing each others love lives and holding each other through heartbreak. 

When Bruce had initially seen Cassandra, he knew that he had to take her home. What he hadn’t realized was that she would also bring him Tim. Not physically; Bruce kept a very tight invisible leash on Tim that had been only visible to Alfred and was slowly making itself known to Jason and Dick as they got older. 

Cassandra brought Tim back to him in every other way possible. The darling boy that Bruce had adopted that he had somehow let fall into a pit of his own mind. Cass dragged him back out and thrust him in front of Bruce, as if to show him that  _ she  _ was the one who rescued Tim. That she  _ let  _ Tim stay with them because she knew he wouldn’t understand it if she asked him to leave with her. That she wanted him to know if she asked Tim to leave them, he would. 

Bruce had swallowed back the fight bubbling up in his throat. No one was allowed to take Tim, or any of his children including Cass, away from him. But they could have each other. Bruce allowed it.

 

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

So Damian. In the middle of the Tim and Cass renaissance, Damian thrived for the most part. His jabs at Tim went unanswered as the growing teen learned to laugh them off and went off with his new favorite sibling. 

Bruce watched as each time this happened, Damian's expression grew more and more contorted, as if he couldn’t understand why Tim refused to take his bait anymore. Anytime he threw something hateful at Tim, Cassandra was there, pulling Tim away, poking at his sides and asking for help with a verb or adjective. 

So Damian distanced himself too. Run ins with the his smitten siblings were treated with a frosty silence, as heavy with disdain as Damian could manage it. Dinners became enjoyable for Bruce and Alfred again as Tim and Cass dominated conversations with some funny story of earlier in the day rather than a screaming match between Tim and Damian. Damian excused himself a lot during family dinners, often looking back and seeing that Cass or Tim seemed to not have noticed his absence at all.  

It made him angrier at them. For a time, he renewed his verbal sparring, this time increasing his repertoire to include insults directed at Cass. The first time he did this, Tim got straight into his face with fury. It made Damian light up on the inside, feeling a rush that had been missing for months. And then Cass doused it. 

“Tim. Not worth it.” The girl said simply. 

And with just those simple words, that cut through Damian like a knife, Tim pulled back and looked down at him from the scant inches that still separated them. 

“You’re right. Lets go, Cass.” The taller boy said simply. Damian remembered shouting abuse at their backs as they walked away, using anger to keep the hot flood of tears at bay. 

That night he didn’t go down for dinner, choosing to keep his door locked and refusing to open it for Alfred or his father. 

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

Fortunately, Damian had other siblings to focus on.

Dick and Jason accepted Cassandra with the grace that came from having younger siblings and a father that had a penchant to adopt on a whim. Dick welcomed her into the family warmly, while Jason took care to loudly reassure Tim that he was still the girliest. 

_ “Cass. You’re gunna grow up and be gorgeous an’ all. But we both know Timmy is the one Bruce is gunna have to chase the boys off with a stick yanno what ah mean?” Jason drawled, one arm around Tim’s neck. He seemingly didn’t feel Tim trying desperately to escape his grip.  _

_ Cass giggled, causing Dick to smile widely at her.  _

_ “I will...help Bruce.” Cass had said, the laugh in her voice underlined by determination.  _

_ “That’s my girl.” Bruce had said. _

_ “Bruce!” Tim had protested.  _

Dick and Jason seemed to feel none of the anger Damian was experiencing at their newest arrival. Damian could only console himself by acknowledging that whenever he commanded his eldest brother’s attentions, they still acquiesced. 

And yet. There were moments that they did not jump to join him. Todd, he understood. The man was volatile, swinging from one precarious mood to the next and shifting alliances by the second. Damian suspected that he did this just to throw him off. Nevertheless, it was Richard’s occasional betrayals that really stung. 

Damian had once found the culmination of his adopted siblings gathered in a small den, blankets and junk food spread about. Richard and Todd had claimed the opposite ends of each couch and Cassandra and Drake lay in between, entirely entangled. Drake’s head was pillowed by Todd's stomach and Cassandra's upper body was sprawled across Richard’s lap. Drake had his legs pulled off to the side, one foot peeking out from under the heavy blanket that entrapped him. Cassandra's small feet were rested on Tim's chest. He had one hand wrapped around her foot, possibly massaging it at a time, but now the foot was held in a loose grip as Drake slumbered heavily, mouth open to assist his breathing in the way that it only happened when he was ill.

Damian caught sight of a bottle of pills on a nearby table next to some snacks that were undoubtedly Drake's. No one else was ever as disgusting as to dip celery into fun dip. He ignored the pill bottle. Only Drake was weak enough to spend most of his life sick.

Damian didn't understand why his proposition to send Drake away to a sterile hospital on his birthday was received so badly. Perhaps in a hospital Drake could finally recover. He was only being helpful! He ignored the tiny part of him that said he only wanted Drake to leave so he could have all the attention. That was most certainly not why. 

“Hey Dami!” Richard called softly, being the first to spot him lingering in the doorway. “Come join us! We're trying to figure out what movie to watch.” 

Sure enough, there was a remote control in Richard's hands. There was also, however, a twin control in Todd's hands, which was probably what contributed to a lack of movie playing thus far. It was probably the reason Drake fell asleep; lulled by the gentle sounds of familial brotherly bickering and Cassandra appeared more engrossed in her phone screen than the TV.

“I do not care for this activity.” Damian informed them stiffly. He shoved down the ugly feeling of not being invited firsthand. This was his rightful house. Everything in it was his because he was the only true Wayne. Not being invited meant nothing because he was automatically invited to every event occurring. 

“Don't play hard to get brat.” Jason called in a tone that was ten times softer than anything he usually used. Damian concluded that it was probably directly the result of Drake slumbering on him. His suspicions were founded when Drake shifted his head and Todd instantly reached down with a hand to cradle it. 

“Come on, Dami. It'll be fun.” Grayson cajoled.

“I wish to spar with you, Grayson. Join me in the dojo.” Damian stated. He was already turning to walk away when he caught the apologetic look on Richard's face. 

“Sorry Dami. Not now, okay? I'm knackered. Maybe tomorrow?” Richard asked. 

Cassandra shifted in his lap and turned to look at Damian. The small boy flushed at having an audience to his dismissal. 

“I will go easy on you.” Damian tried. 

“It is movie night.” Cassandra said to him. “Watch instead.” 

“No one asked you!” Damian retorted, possibly a bit louder than he had intended. 

Drake kicked a foot out and squirmed in response and Damian was instantly heralded with a barrage of  _ Shhhs.  _

Todd rubbed Drake’s back softly and Grayson tucked the blanket more securely around him and Cassandra. Damian ground his teeth as they waited to see whether Drake would settle down or not. Thankfully, he did. With a sigh, he burrowed his head slightly into Todd and relaxed back into the hold of sleep. 

“Damian.” Dick said, voice strained. “Keep your voice down, please. Tim hasn’t slept properly in days. I really can’t move right now.” 

“I do not care about Drake’s numerous problems.” Damian said, now openly angry that he had proof Grayson was refusing him because of Drake. “Do whatever you want. I don’t care for company anyway.” He was proud of the way he managed to keep his voice low and even so as to not disturb their precious Drake. 

But then, perhaps it was just a habit from slamming his own door shut after not having his way, or a deep seated need to know that he had caused Drake discomfort, Damian automatically turned to walk away, catching the open door in a palm and letting it bang shut behind him. 

Instantly he heard muffled curses and movement. He heard Drake’s drowsy voice and couldn’t stop the feeling of delicious revenge that bubbled up within him. He ignored the guilt that tinged it.

The entire family, sans Drake for once, had been noticeably perturbed at him for the rest of the evening, but Damian ignored them all. 

 

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

Richard once suggested that Damian make an effort to try to get to know Tim and spend time with him. The suggestion had come after a really good day in which the only people Damian had to interact with were Jon, Dick, Bruce, and Alfred. Damian deduced that his agreement was due to the happy chemicals flooding through his brain. 

He had noticed a flurry of activity throughout the manor but had decided that it didn’t concern him because it centered around Drake and Cassandra. Now, burdened with a promise to Richard, Damian warily made his way over to the kitchen when the rest of the family was gathered. He poured himself a mug of orange juice and leaned against the counter, listening to the excited inane chatter of his siblings. 

“-and then we’re going to stop in Central City because Clark told us where to get the best apple cider donuts-...” Tim was saying. 

“Love those.” Cass interjected. 

“And then we are going to drive a few hours until we get to the cabin and we promise to call as soon as we get there Bruce.” Tim said earnestly. 

“I will...remind.” Cass said, smiling at Bruce. 

“I’ll remember! And if it's raining, we promise not to take the kayaks out, but if it's not, I want to see the stars from the middle of the river!” Tim exclaimed, face flushed with happiness. 

“Just promise to be careful and have your vest with you, I don’t care if you can swim. You both promised that if I let you take this trip you would agree to all my conditions.” Bruce said sternly. But they could all see the laughter in his eyes. “Are all your bags packed?” 

“I put both in the jeep today and Jay helped us with the kayaks yesterday.” Tim chirped, taking a swig of his coffee. 

“Heading out...after breakfast.” Cain said, surprising Damian. He hadn’t been aware that the chatter had been around a prolonged trip that was taking place so soon.

“I want to check the car before you go.” Bruce said, standing up and leaving his mostly eaten breakfast at the table. “Come on, I want you to go over the safety equipment with me one more time.” 

“ _ Bruuce _ !” Tim groaned, but fell in step promptly behind Bruce like like perfect little brown noser he was. Cassandra immediately followed at his footsteps and Damian skulked after them, taking his juice with him. 

In the garage, Tim led them over to a jeep that had two kayaks strapped to the roof. Damian was glad to see Grayson pull out from underneath the hood of another car. He was less pleased to see Todd round another, but swallowed his words. 

“Hey guys! All set to go?” Richard called. 

“We’re just letting Bruce get his over-protectiveness out of the way.” Tim said with a grin. 

“Made a promise...can only call three times in one day.” Cass said to Bruce. 

The patriarch threw his hands up. 

“This is the thanks I get for taking care of my children. Jay, get over here and help me pop the hood. Did you double check the engine? And the oil? And the-...” 

“Relax old man!” Jason drawled, “Me an’ Dickie detailed it yesterday an’ I double checked today. But have at it.” Jason popped the hood and stepped back with a flourish. 

“Thank you.” Cassandra said to Dick and Jason. 

“Aww, of course lil sis.” Dick smiled. 

“Yeah, thanks guys. And for getting the kayaks up.” Tim added. 

“It’s no problem. I walk around with these guns all the time. Should use em for something.” Jason said, flexing. “Touch it, Timmy.  _ Touuuuch  _ it.” 

He shoved his flexed bicep into Tim’s face and the smaller male snorted in laughter and disgust and tried to body check him away. Todd outright laughed at his feeble attempts and Damian sneered internally. 

“Alright, alright. Be serious for a bit. You remember how I showed you how to get these down?” Dick asked, referring to the kayaks. He coached Cass and Tim through it again while Bruce and Jason checked the Jeep over for anything that they could have missed in the previous two checks. 

Throughout it all, Damian sipped his drink and watched silently. He knew he had to honor his promise to Grayson, but as usual Drake was making it difficult, this time by leaving for an undetermined amount of time. And Damian had no desire to ask for how long. There had to be someway that he could...Of course. 

“Drake.” Damian said, standing up and walking towards the family that had all looked at him in unison. “I shall accompany you on this trip.” 

Tim’s expression contorted into utter confusion and he seemed to respond instinctively. 

“Uh, no thanks.” 

Jason snorted in laughter and Damian colored in anger. 

“What do you mean, no?” Damian spat. “I am choosing to spend my time in your presence. You should feel honored.” 

“Yeah. I’m going to pass. We’re already all set to go and everything is booked for only two people. You realize we’re leaving in like twenty minutes right?” Tim said, looking around at their other family members for help. Dick shrugged back at him helplessly, and Jason looked all too excited to see how it would play out. 

“Damian. If you wish to go kayaking, we can arrange another trip.” Bruce said. Damian could see Tim sigh in relief and gritted his teeth. 

“I do not wish to go on another trip. I wish to accompany Drake and Cain on theirs.” Damian said as steadily as he was able. 

“Hell no. Bruce, back me up here.  _ No _ . Come on!” Tim said immediately, spinning around to plead at Bruce. 

“This trip...was not planned for three.” Cass said. Her tone was neither apologetic nor victorious. 

“I want to  _ enjoy  _ this trip, Bruce! We’ve been planning it for weeks!” Tim protested, shooting a bewildered look at Damian, as if he couldn’t figure him out. 

“Dami, why don’t we do something else this weekend?” Dick proposed, stepping in before Bruce could answer.

Damian looked at him like he was insane. Did Grayson truly not see that Damian was doing this for him? Ridiculous. Damian had had enough. 

“Are you serious, Grayson?” Damian demanded. Dick looked alarmed. 

“What? What did I say?” 

“I only extended the offer of my company because of the vow I made to you! To  _ spend time with Drake _ . As if I have any desire to spend an extended amount of time with Drake! It's bad enough that we suffer through his constant neediness and helplessness here and you think that I would willingly choose to subject myself to such torture because I wished it? Please. Do extend your stay away from here as long as possible Drake. I hope you never come back.” Damian sneered, turning to stalk away. 

“Damian, what the fuck?” Jason demanded. He stepped forward but Tim threw out an arm halting him. 

“Damian. That was entirely uncalled for. Apologize  _ now _ .” Bruce growled, pissed off emotions clearly displayed on his face. 

“Is that all you had to say?” Tim asked quietly, cutting off the rest of the comments about to be thrown at Damian. 

Damian flushed. He gave a short proud nod. He was too far down the rabbit hole to make known his regrets at the verbal vomit.  

“Well. Okay then. Thanks for underlining my reasons for taking this trip. So Dick, this strap here right?” Tim turned away from Damian, quite literally showing him his back, and pointed at the strap Dick had been warning them to watch out for. 

Dick turned numbly away from Damian, wondering how Damian had managed to convolute his request to this extent and nodded. 

“Ye-...yeah. That strap.” He said, clearing his throat and shooting Jason a glance over Tim’s head. 

The family fell back into the motions from before and Damian looked at them hesitantly for a moment before stalking away, heart thudding in his chest. For the first time, he didn’t feel any pride in striking Drake down. Perhaps it had been the other boy’s reaction; total dismissal and perhaps a tiny bit of disappointment? 

For the rest of the night, Damian avoided the rest of the family. He saw Drake and Cain drive off, Bruce standing in the doorway with Alfred, watching until they turned at the end of the drive. He watched as Jason left the manor a few hours later, stowing a package that was most certainly baked goods from Alfred in his backpack. And then most affectingly of all, he watched as Dick got in his car and drove away after dinner. 

Without bothering to come find him at all to say goodbye. It wasn’t like Damian was hiding; he was in his room. The door wasn’t even locked. 

But nobody came for him. 

When Damian finally couldn’t stand the wrenching of his heart anymore, it was deep into the night and the manor had been silent for hours. He silently crept out of his room and made a sweep of each floor. Bruce wasn’t in his room, which meant that he was in the cave. Damian couldn’t bring himself to face Alfred, knowing that the elderly man probably would have heard of his outburst. 

Forcing himself to not think about it, Damian slipped into the hidden doorway and took the elevator down. His finger hovered over the up button the entire time and it was only the force of his will that kept him from pressing. 

In the cave, Bruce was at the central table, welding something with the mask down to protect his face. Damian knew enough to not question whether the man knew he was there or not, but he still didn’t approach until Bruce put down the tools. He flitted in and out of the shadows that lingered at the boundaries of the workstation. 

When it became clear that Bruce was not going to start the conversation, Damian swallowed hard and approached.  

Bruce looked at him. His face was impassive, as he steadily stared Damian down. For the first time ever, Damian felt uncomfortableness born out of guilt. 

“Father.” The word was a reassurance and Damian held still for a heartbeat to see if Bruce would contest the name. When he didn't, Damian felt the vice around his throat loosen. 

“Damian.” Bruce said in response. His brows lifted slightly in question. Damian knew his father wasn't going to make this easy for him, the patriarch never took sides in the fight unless the other was left physically injured. 

“I...is...Has everyone left?” Damian finally got out. A part of him couldn't believe that he was stuttering. 

“Yes.” 

“I see. And...have they reached their destinations?” Damian tried. 

“Jason refuses to check in, but I haven't heard of any crashes due to reckless driving on the news so I assume so. Dick checked in with me at nine.” Bruce said, he proceeded to turn the whole force of his stare into Damian. And waited. 

Damian silently cursed. And people said they didn't know where he got it from. Bruce was exactly as stubborn and tenacious as he was and no one called him out on it! 

“And have...Cain and Drake arrived.” He forced the words out, unable to throw the inflection in at the end to really make it a question. 

Bruce raised his eyebrows at him and then sighed. He snagged the stool behind him and leaned against it. His look for Damian was bitingly bland. 

“Do you honestly even care?” Bruce asked, not unkindly. 

Damian’s mouth dropped open. His mind raced. Perhaps this was his chance; he could tell his father about Drakes unimportant presence at the manor and perhaps Bruce would take his side and insist that he stay at the cabin and never come back to the manor and then he could finally be-

His train of thought crashed to a halt. Reality set in. Bruce's eyes were trying to stay aloof, but Damian could read the heaviness along the brows and lids that only came about when Bruce was thinking about Jason’s kidnapping or something truly tragic. 

Damian swallowed hard. He opened his mouth to try to say something,  _ anything _ , but Bruce beat him to the punch. 

“I always thought you two would find your way to each other. I always thought that maybe one day when you grew up, you would see what an amazing, loyal,  _ irreplaceable _ person Tim is. And I always thought that he would be able to see past your defenses and support you. Just like he did with me.” 

Bruce paused to sigh again. Damian hardly dared to breathe. 

“I forget, you'll have to forgive me, I forget because in my eyes you are all my children. No one is any more or any less than my child. And, I hope you are listening Damian; I love you all  _ equally _ . I couldn't care less that you are biologically mine and the others are not. In my eyes you are  _ all _ the same. But. That is just that;  _ my _ feelings. You are not obligated to like your siblings, Damian. I won't insist on that anymore. I see now that it was a hopeless father's dream to wish that.” 

Damian installed sharply and made to protest, but his words caught in his in his own throat at Bruce's sudden fierce expression.

“But if I  _ ever _ hear you say  _ anything _ to the effect of wishing they were gone forever,  _ ever again, _ we will have serious problems. I will not stand here and let slide a threat to the children that I have worked so hard to raise. You threaten Tim, you threaten me. No one threatens my children, do you understand me?” 

Damian stared back, petrified at the sudden appearance of a raw pissed off Batman in the flesh. 

“I said, do you understand?” Bruce growled. 

“Yes, sir.” Damian managed to get out. 

“Good.” Bruce's tone was back into its tired lilt. “Go to bed, son. Its late.” 

“Father!” Damian called, desperate for something he couldn't enunciate, “I...I…” but the words just weren't there. 

Bruce waited a few moments longer, waiting to see if Damian would finish his sentence. But Damian shut his mouth with an empty clack and seemed helplessly frustrated. 

“Good night, son.” Bruce said gently. 

As if dragged, Damian jerky turned around and went back to the elevator that took him upstairs. 

Sleep did not come that night. 

 

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As all renaissance eventually did, the era of Tim and Cass came to an end. Tim’s heartbreak at Cass’s acceptance to an internship in a prestigious Hong Kong company was a palpable thing. When she had first told him, he had panicked, wondering if she had simply forgotten to inform him. He immediately looked it up and saw that the deadline had been the day before. Then he had thought that perhaps she had submitted his form along with hers. Then he learned the truth. 

Cass forbade him from following her. 

She held him tight, arms unyielding bands around his back and told him that she would not let him uproot his life so that he could follow her. She refused to listen when he said that he  _ wanted  _ to. She refused to listen to any of his arguments, stating over and over that Gotham was his home, that it wasn’t permanent, that she would  _ come back. _

Tim was inconsolable. For the first time in his life, barring roughhousing, he pushed her away and ran. Her shouts after him faded into the background as grief propelled him faster and faster at the idea of losing the one constant in his life. 

He crashed into Dick on his way in from picking Damian up from high school. Dick’s alarm at the unmitigated sobs emanating from Tim had him bodily lifting the lithe body and frantically asking for the source of pain. He had carried Tim halfway to the cave medbay before managing to piece together the broken words spilling from Tim’s mouth as he tried to explain what had happened through heaving sobs. 

Then Dick had just stopped in the middle of the hallway and slid down to sit against the wall and let Tim cry his heart out into his neck, strong hands rubbing up and down the back of his little brother who sat crumpled between his knees, trying to sooth the hitching sobs. Dick knew that Tim and Cass had been as close as two humans could possibly get. On his worst days, he had wondered if they should make an effort to discourage the near codependency. Bruce and him had always talked about it and then disregarded it. But now, trying to keep Tim from shaking apart in his arms, Dick wondered if they shouldn’t have actually tried to separate the jokingly dubbed identical twins.  

A while later, when Tim’s sobs had quieted down to silent tears, Dick looked up and noticed Damian standing as still as one of the statues decorating the halls, watching them guardedly. He had no idea how long the boy had been there and a pang of unease shot through him at the thought of what Damian might do or say. Tim was in no condition to deal with another stressor. 

But he needn't have worried. 

Damian caught his eye and knelt quickly onto one knee. He pulled a bottle of water out of his bag and rolled it over to Dick, along with a packet of tissues. Then he stood back up, brushing off imaginary dust motes and strode away silently. 

Dick marveled. 

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Like a songbird discovering that its mate had been hit by a car, Tim eventually came to a subdued heart heavy acceptance and flew again. The mood in the manor lifted, albeit slowly, and Tim and Cass were seen joined at the hip as the weeks slipped through their desperate fingers. 

One night, as Bruce was making his final checks around the manor, he came across Tim and Cass in one of the rooms off the central corridor. Tim was sleeping and Cass was sitting up cross legged, watching over him. She looked up and saw Bruce, and the patriarch was alarmed to see tear tracks down her cheeks. 

He opened his mouth, and then closed it. Then he held out a hand to her and she got up silently and took it and they both walked out of the room. They had always been attuned, first and foremost, to Tim’s needs, equaling each other in the ferocity of their care. 

Bruce led Cassandra to his own study and then sat on the sofa that his children always chose when they invaded his work time. Cassandra sat right next to him and buried her head into his shoulder. Bruce could count on one hand the amount of times Cassandra had chose to display a want for such nearness before. He curbed his happiness and carefully wrapped an arm around her back. Then he waited. 

“I am...unsure.” Cass finally said. 

“Unsure about what?” Bruce rumbled quietly. 

“Leaving. I do not...know if I chose the right decision.”

“Is this because of Tim?” Bruce asked gently. “Cassandra, Tim was upset, but he understands. He wants what's best for you.”

“Yes...Tim. But I am...upset too. I am...scared. I want Tim to come with me. I do not want to be without Tim.” 

Cassandra’s muffled words nearly caused Bruce to have a heart attack. He tightened his grip on his daughter and looked out at the darkened room with haunted eyes. In the culmination of his worst nightmares, he often pondered on Cassandra extending a hand to Tim, the boy taking it, and the both of them disappearing into the night and never looking back. 

“Have you spoke to Tim about this?” Bruce asked, hoping his voice was steady. 

“No.” 

Bruce could not describe in words the relief that spread through him. Then the relief crashed as he realized his brave, unflappable, warrior of a daughter was telling him that she was  _ scared _ . Bruce mentally kicked himself and got his parental self into gear. 

“Cass, listen to me kid. You are strong. You are brave. You chose to go to Hong Kong, but say the word and I can get you in anywhere local. You don’t have to do  _ anything  _ you don’t want to. But...I think you applied for a reason. I think that you want something out of this experience that you know you won’t be able to find here. You and Tim will always be together. Distance is no object in the face of your love for each other. If you are afraid that he will move on and forget you, cast those doubts from your mind. He will always need you just as you will always need him. And you both will always have each other, and the rest of us. If you wish for my advice, I say go. Go and explore. Find what you are looking for, and when you are ready, come back to us.” 

His words faded into the room and Bruce tilted his head down slightly to look at the tiny girl cozied up against him. She was silent and breathing softly and Bruce wondered if she had fallen asleep. The silence stretched, but it was comfortable. He wished that he had more memories like this to fall back on. 

Then, when he felt drowsiness begin to take hold of him, eyes becoming heavy, and the body in his arms a comfortable spot of warmth, Cassandra finally spoke. 

“Love you, B.” 

Bruce was suddenly wide awake again. He had never heard Cassandra say the words before, at least to him. Struggling with a suddenly dry throat and suspiciously watery eyes, he returned the sentiment. 

“You know you’ll always have a home here right?”

“Yes, B.” 

“You know why?” 

“Because I’m your kid.” 

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Cassandra leaves on a crisp autumn day. The chill in the air teases a frigid winter, but the planet covers the harsh realities of the upcoming months with bright, autumnal colored decaying greenery. 

Tim can relate. 

The going away party that they threw Cass was magnificent. It was low key; family and very close friends only. Cass and Tim stayed joined at the hip, as per her request to him earlier in the day. 

_ “Today...today do not leave my side.”  _

_ “Sure.”  _

Alfred had made all her favorite foods, the manor was a beacon of warmth in the acres of land that surrounded it. All looked joyful and bright. 

And it was. It had been. Tim had could barely recall ever seeing Cass that uninhibited and happy before; and he was the only one that ever would have. They ate good food. Danced the night away. Laughed uproariously at memories of their childhood. Shared secret smiles over secret memories. 

And now it was time. 

Cass hugged, or rather was getting hugged by, Dick as he had helped her place the last of her bags into the boot of the car. Alfred was already behind the wheel, patiently waiting. Bruce, Jason, and Damian hung back by the door and watched the proceedings, having already said their farewell. 

Tim belatedly noticed that Cass had managed to pry Dick off, when the eldest tweaked his nose as he walked by. Then Cass was standing in front of him. 

Tim stared hard at her, knowing that she was doing the exact same, trying to memorize the moment and her face. It felt like a piece of him was leaving and he was helpless to stop it. A scratch in his throat had him swallowing and then in the next second, Cass was in his arms. 

“No crying. Promised.” 

“I’m not  _ gunna _ .” 

She tilted back and smiled at him. Tim gave a huff and then smiled ruefully back at her. 

“So you’re really going.” 

“Not leaving you.” 

“I know.”

“You?”

“I’ll never leave you either. You already know that.” 

“Good. First friend.” 

“Mine too. Love you, Cass. Please come back soon?” 

“Love you. Just call. I’ll come.” 

And then she was gone. Out of his arms, walking to the car and refusing to look back. Tim stood there as Alfred started up the car. As Alfred backed out of the driveway. As Alfred drove down the dusty road of the long driveway. As Alfred turned at the corner and finally disappeared out of his sight. 

Taking the one person in the world that knew him the best. A shudder escaped him. 

A heavy cloth fell around his shoulders and Tim looked up, startled out of his morose thoughts, to see Bruce looking down at him with a smile. 

“Come on kid, let's go in. I’d pick you up, but you saw what Clayface did to my shoulder.” Bruce said, words having the intended effect. 

“Bruce! I’m an  _ adult _ . I don’t need to be carried anywhere,  _ ever _ .” 

“You’ll always be my baby.” 

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Later that night the door to Bruce’s study creaked open slowly and he looked up nonplussed, to peer through the darkness. A shadow slipped into the door through the small opening and Bruce put down his pen. He pushed the chair away from the desk and waited. 

A few moments later his grown up son, the only one still small enough to do this, crawled onto his lap and buried his face into Bruce’s neck. A sigh of content escaped Bruce. It had been way too long since the last time he had gotten to hold one of his sons voluntarily. They generally pulled away with groans and mutters about being too old. Bruce always internally scoffed. 

“Hey Tim.” Bruce rumbled, letting his arms encircle Tim securely. He pushed back the chair even further with one foot and leaned back so the chair rocked slightly. Tim pulled up both legs in a half fetal position. 

“Hey.” It was muttered against his collar bones. 

“How are you holding up?” Bruce hummed. 

“‘M fine. Cass got to her place there. She loves it.” Tim’s voice was half pleased, as he had been the one to pick the apartment through a near maniacal show of apartment hunting overseas, and half forlorn. Bruce understood. 

“She’ll be back, kiddo.” 

“I know. Just...just it feels like she’s  _ gone  _ gone.” 

Tim often led point on Bruce’s Wayne Enterprises mergers. He was the first person that Jason went to when he needed a novel or paper edited. He was the person Dick went to when he needed a serious speech prepared. Even Damian had once or twice requested Tim’s assistance in regards to his mastery of rhetoric. 

So when Tim said things like “ _ gone _ gone” Bruce knew it was serious. His polished vernacular was an armor. Right now Tim was telling him that it was obliterated. 

Inspiration hit. 

“She’ll be back, baby. But...In the meantime Tim, I’ll be your best friend. You can talk to me about anything.” 

The look Tim gave him was deeply unimpressed. But then, slowly, as Bruce let the silence linger with an open and alert expression, Tim began to talk. About small, disjointed topics at first, and then more and more until he was babbling at Bruce about anything and everything.

And Bruce sat there, utterly content.  

 


End file.
